Loreto College, Swords

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Loreto College, Swords

• CAO
• Information
• Evening
• Anne Smyth
• Guidance Counsellor

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Agenda

• Applicants Responsibilities
• General points regarding the CAO.
• Entry Requirements and the Points System.
• Making an application.
• How places are allocated by CAO
• After submitting the application.
• Other Options
• Questions

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It is the applicants responsibility to

• Research thoroughly all the courses for which she
  is making an application.
• Be au fait with all aspects of the application
  system used (CAO) for these courses, i.e.,
  procedures, dates, fees, rules, etc.

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Useful ResourcesTo assist with course research /
application

• Publications
• College Prospectuses 2007 Entry
• Student Yearbook and Career Directory 2, 2007 ed.
• Career Choice 2007 ed., Level Three Publications
• Applying to College 2007 ed., by R. Dunne.
• CAO Handbook 2007
• Newspapers
• The Irish Times
• Tuesdays Education Section
• Early January Special College Supplement
  Series of articles - Brian Mooney
• The Independent
• Careers Articles - Mary O Donnell

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• Internet
• Qualifax www.qualifax.ie Irish courses database
• CAO www.cao.ie Contains links to course
  websites
• Careersworld www.careersworld.com
• College websites (Addresses in CAO Handbook)
• People
• Relatives
• Past pupils
• Admissions/Academic staff of colleges
• Guidance Counsellor
• Interest Inventories / Guidance interviews
• Access to sources of information
• Appointments for parents

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CAO General Info.

• Centralised application system for 43 Irish 3rd
  level institutions, including 5 fee-paying
  colleges.
• Every 6th year will have a CAO Application Pack
  which includes
• 2007 CAO Handbook application and course
  information
• Paper application form
• Application fee bank giro form
• Application Dates and Fees

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CAO General Info.

• There are 3 types of courses students can apply
  for under the Nat. Qualifications Framework.
• These are applied for on 2 separate lists on a
  single form

• The courses are clearly labelled in the CAO
  Handbook
• N.B. Care must be taken with courses marked
  Restricted.
• These courses cannot be applied for after
  February 1st due to extra assessments required.

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Restricted Entry Courses

• Some courses have interviews/ Aptitude tests/
  Portfolio/ Auditions
• These courses are called restricted entry
• Application must be made by the 1st February.
• Details of all restricted entry courses are in
  CAO Handbook

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Level 8 Minimum Entry Requirement

• 2 HC3 and 4 Passes
• Different colleges have different entry
  requirements
• Colleges of NUI (UCD, UCC, NUI, M NUI, G)
• Have a Second language requirement
• There are some exceptions now for Science,
  Engineering and Agriculture Science Courses

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Specific Faculty Requirements

• Pharmacy
• UCC TCD
• Physiotherapy (TCD)
• Human Nutrition

• HC3 in Chemistry A second Science Subject
• HC3 in two science subjects
• HC3 in Chemistry

College Prospectus should always be consulted
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTSThese must be satisfied
before points are considered.

• Minimum Entry Requirements
• E.g. UCD
• Pass 6 subjects
• At least 2 HC3
• Pass in
• Irish
• English
• Another Language
• Mathematics
• Science Subject

• Specific Subject Requirements
• E.g.s
• Engineering(UCD)
• HC3 Maths
• Veterinary Medicine(UCD)
• HC3 Chemistry
• French Law(UCD)
• HB3 French

If all Entry Requirements are met ? applicant is
deemed Qualified to apply.
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Level 6 7

• 5 passes for most level 6 level 7 courses
  although some colleges e.g. DKIT require Minimum
  200 points
• College Prospectuses need to be consulted

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POINTS SYSTEM

• Generally in the CAO system
• No. of qualified applicants gt No. of course
  places
• --gt selection system is needed.
• Selection system used in Irish 3rd Level Colleges
  is
• POINTS SYSTEM
• Points are calculated from ONE sitting of the
  Leaving Certificate only.
• Points total is calculated from SIX best subjects
• Bonus points are awarded for Honours Mathematics
  by
• University of Limerick - all courses
• DIT - Course DT021, Electronic Eng.
• Entry Requirements can be satisfied over more
  than one sitting of the Leaving Certificate

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POINTS ALLOCATION

• Grade Honours Ordinary
• A1 100 60
• A2 90 50
• B1 85 45
• B2 80 40
• B3 75 35
• C1 70 30
• C2 65 25
• C3 60 20
• D1 55 15
• D2 50 10
• D3 45 5

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Making an application

• Applications can be made online or by paper form
  use one method only. (10 charge if 2
  applications sent)
• Always keep proof of sending application online
  print screen receipt, paper obtain
  certificate of post.
• Form is very straight forward to fill out.
• www.cao.ie
• VERY IMPORTANT
• Students must fill out both course lists in
• Genuine Order of Preference
• They should not put down courses on the basis of
  their predictions of next years cut off points or
  their own points scores.
• Why? Look at how places are allocated.

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Science UCD 100 places to be offered
Science Maynooth 100 places to be offered
Course Merit Lists
? Random Selection to be used
? Last place to be filled
Course Cut Off Points 330
Course Cut Off Points 335
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Random Entry

• Two or more candidates on the same points
• Random number given to each application
• Highest random Number gets the place
• Shown by an
• For example 370 means not every candidate with
  370 points got a place but everyone with 375
  would have

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A Students Course Preferences - Example
Students Points Total 445
All Lower Preference Courses Disappear From
Students Preferences
Cut Off Points for Course
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
NO
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ROUND 2
7 round one places not accepted
3 round one places not accepted
? Last place to be filled - Round 1
? Last place to be filled Round 1
? Last place to be filled - Round 2
? Last place to be filled - Round 2
Round 2 cut off points - 455
Round 2 cut off points - 460
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So what is the best way to fill in the courses?
Dream Courses
Realistic Courses
Banker Courses
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Places Allocation

• Note
• The position of a course in a students
  preference order does not in any way affect their
  chance of getting a place on that course.
• The exact same procedure takes place for both
  lists on the form, hence students may get get 2
  offers in August one from each list, may accept
  only one.
• Students should think carefully about not
  accepting one of these offers, as they may not
  receive any further offers.
• Regardless of whether or not they accept a course
  in round 1, they will still be offered a higher
  preference course in subsequent rounds if they
  become entitled one.

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Nursing

• Apply directly to CAO
• Level 8
• Five Areas
• General
• Integrated (4.5 Years- General Children)
• Midwifery
• Psychiatric
• Intellectual Disability Nursing

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Minimum Entry Requirement

• 2HC3 and four passes
• Irish or English
• Mathematics
• A Laboratory Science Subject
• Three other subjects
• Minimum points 2006
• 350-435

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After Making Application

• Receive CAO number and Statement of Course
  Choices check this carefully.
• Some students may be called for extra
  assessments.
• Receive Statement of Application Record check
  details carefully.
• Change of Mind facility becomes available use
  sparingly and carefully.
• Leaving Cert. Results are sent to CAO.
• Places are allocated and offered by post and
  online.
• Students accept, reject or defer offered places.
• Further rounds of offers are made until all
  course places are filled.

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CAO TIMETABLE 2006 ENTRY

• 1st February, 2007
• Closing date for receipt of normal applications
• Before/By 21st February, 2007
• Receive Statement of Course Choices
• 1st May, 2007
• Closing date for receipt of late applications
• Before/By 31st May, 2007
• Receive Statement of Application Record
• From late May, 2007
• Change of mind forms may be sent.
• 1st July, 2007
• Latest date for receipt of change of mind form in
  CAO.
• Late August, 2007
• First round of offers will commence.

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Deferral

• This is arranged AFTER an offer is made. (Read
  the CAO Handbook about this.)

You are recommended to check with the college in
advance about their deferral conditions and
arrangements.
The CAO Handbook mentions some courses where
deferral will be difficult or impossible.